Baltic states impose travel bans on dozens of Georgian officials over protest crackdown

Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania have imposed entry bans on dozens of Georgian officials accused of involvement in the suppression of protests following disputed October 2024 elections, according to separate announcements by the three countries on 3 March.

‘We added 55 additional Georgian individuals to the entry ban list,’ Estonian Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna said in a statement. ‘The list includes judges, prosecutors, police officials and police commissioners, platform creators and members of parliament, who are responsible for the prosecution of protesters by the judicial system and judiciary and law enforcement agencies.’

Tsahkna added that ‘the violence used in Georgia against protesters, journalists, and opposition leaders is unacceptable, criminal and in violation of human rights.’

The Estonian sanctions target 20 judges, 15 prosecutors, 13 police officers including regional police chiefs, five members of parliament, and two figures associated with Georgia’s Alt-Info media platform. With this latest round, Estonia has now imposed entry bans on a total of 83 Georgian individuals.

Meanwhile, Lithuanian Foreign Minister Kestutis Budrys announced on social media that his country had added 74 Georgian officials to its travel ban list ‘over severe human rights violations and repression in Georgia,’ stating, ‘We stand with the people of Georgia in their pursuit of democracy and a European future.’

Latvian Foreign Minister Baiba Braze separately posted that she had ‘added 16 Georgian citizens to Latvia’s persona non grata list, banning them from entry into Latvia for unlimited time,’ noting the decision was made under Section 61(2) of the country’s Immigration Law.

The Baltic states were among the first countries to respond to what they describe as Georgia’s ‘democratic backsliding’ following the contested elections. They had previously sanctioned Georgian Dream party patron Bidzina Ivanishvili and senior Interior Ministry officials in an earlier round of targeted sanctions.

https://vm.ee/en/news/tsahkna-we-imposed-entry-ban-55-additional-georgian-individuals

https://x.com/BudrysKestutis/status/1896522731539345586

https://x.com/Braze_Baiba/status/1896516644924699135